Port of Brownsville, TX — A worker was killed at the Esco Marine service yard this past Monday morning, June 9, after a fatal accident. Police said that Jorge Labra Garza, 24, was overcome by toxic fumes at Esco Marine on Monday morning and later passed away at a hospital.
It happened as Garza, who was a longtime employee of Esco Marine, was working to dismantle a ship. As he was working, a pressurized compartment opened and he was exposed to toxic fumes at the worksite.
A co-worker at Esco said that he found Garza feeling light-headed and helped him to a hospital. A short time later, Garza passed away. So far, it’s not clear what exactly happened or what went wrong at Esco Marine, but OSHA is reportedly conducting an investigation.
Scene of the Accident
Commentary:
Work-related accidents are no simple matter, and they’re made even more complex with workers’ comp benefits. Workers’ comp benefits are supposed to take care of injured workers and their families when on-the-job accidents happen. But what they don’t tell you is that while workers’ comp provides some benefits, it really benefits the employer because it prevents any lawsuits being filed against them.
Now, there is one exception: gross negligence. If this accident happened because the company here ignored some major safety rules, then there’s no hiding behind workers’ comp. The company would need to take responsibility for their negligence. The biggest issue with these kinds of accidents is the workers are typically unaware that workers’ comp essentially provides their employer with a bulletproof vest.
I don’t mean to point the finger or imply that I think a lawsuit needs to be filed here, but I’m just tired of seeing workers and their families getting railroaded by a system that was supposed to help them. I’m a big proponent of taking responsibility for your actions and that applies to companies as well.
— Grossman Law Offices
